To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

My first owner was Silas Dawson, who was of Irish decent and born in Ontario in 1841. He worked nearby at A.B. Cushing Lumber in a number of positions including machinist, foreman and sales. Mrs Dawson, whose first name was Hephyilah, came to Canada in 1854 when she was one year old from England. The two youngest of their six adult children lived here, at first, at least, and Mr Dawson lived here from the time he was 71 on into the 1920s, when he and his wife would have been in their 80s

Mr Dawson’s workplace when he lived here, was at Cushing Lumber is still located across from Community Natural Foods. He had previously been a manager in the oil business. Their daughter Nellie worked as a bookkeeper at a hardware company. Their son John, who was 18 in 1912 worked as a fireman with the railway.

The Dawsons were frequently in the social pages in 1909 and 1910, when they still lived at 510- 8 Street, listing who was in town visiting, for example they hosted a Reverend’s wife, Mrs Armston from Rangoon, they were on the guest list for the Old-Timer’s Ball, Mrs Dawson hosted the ladies tea of the First Baptist Church.

This is an example from The Calgary Daily Herald in 1910 just before they moved here. It states: “Mrs Frank R Alexander will receive with her mother Mrs Silas Dawson, at 527, 17th Avenue West on November 10th and afterwards the second Thursday of each month.”

They could take the streetcar in front of the Sunalta Block at: 1504a – 12th Avenue SW. This photo is from around 1912.